


Win or Lose: Don't Waste These Moments

by Spones-in-my-bones (KoruLunan)



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Angst, Emotions, Injury, Internal Monologue, M/M, Matter of Life and Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23878207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KoruLunan/pseuds/Spones-in-my-bones
Summary: Prompt fill for Green-Blooded-Computer on tumblr, based on the line prompt:"I swear, if you say another word, I'll leave."
Relationships: Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock
Comments: 10
Kudos: 55





	Win or Lose: Don't Waste These Moments

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greenbloodedcomputer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenbloodedcomputer/gifts).



And he did.

Leonard wasn't about to stand around and hear Spock's automated excuses for getting himself damn near killed once again. He's heard enough of those to last lifetimes over.

As he stormed into his office, the doors hissed open. The hiss was painfully similar to the most recent of the third sequential dose of an anti-toxin hypo he just distributed. The sound of a race against time, one that they nearly lost not even an hour ago.

"Another day, another damned fool nearly dying under my hypo," Leonard griped to himself as he settled into his desk chair with a grunt and tilted his head backwards to stare at the ceiling. "What ever happened to having some damned common sense? I guess Vulcans just don't have that uploaded to their damn mainframe."

Leonard pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and took a deep breath in and out. He squeezed his eyes at the stinging he felt beginning to form around the edges. He didn't have time for this nonsense. He should be used to it by now, the three of them all being martyrs for the other, but rather than getting used to it, it's getting harder to bear. 

Just how long do they have until their luck runs out? Until they're beyond saving? They've been on the brink, and even beyond it, so many times. With far too many of these moments permanently branded into Leonard's memories. 

How far is too far off the brink?

How much pain until it finally pushes one of them over?

A chime broke Leonard from his inward state. Blinking himself back to the present, Leonard straightened himself and took a deep breath.

"Come"

"Doctor McCoy, there is-" Christine began adamantly, before pausing and softening slightly at the sight of him. She walked over and placed a PADD on his desk before McCoy, lifting all but her fingertips from its surface. "Mr. Spock's updated chart. The toxin is almost fully out of his system, and the supplemental regenerators are beginning to take. He's still stabilized and the healing trance appears to be holding steady. And..." 

Leonard looked up at Christine's pause, an unfeadbale expression on her face. "And...?"

"And he's asked for you, Len. But they way he asked was... Different."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure if it's due to the strain of the trance, but he asked for you by name. 'Leonard'. And something in his voice seemed to be... Pleading? It's hard to explain. Nothing I've seen while he's been in the trance before, nevertheless outside of it."

Leonard brow lifted at her words. "Well... I'm sure it's just the strain, Chris. I'll go check up on him, thank you." Leonard stood and Christine gently placed her hand on his arm as he did. He looked up to her as she looked out into empty space.

"You need him just as much as he needs you. I know that. You both know the risks of what we do. Don't..." She looked over at him, eyes pointedly meeting his. "Don't squander your what time you have with self-imposed pain, Doctor." She squeezed his arm. "You deserve better than that, Len."

He felt his reactionary rebuttal die tired on his tongue, instead giving birth to a fightless release of air.

"Thank you, Chris," Leonard said as he took her hand in his and gave it a tight squeeze. He wanted to say more, but didn't have the words. Nevertheless, her eyes relayed that she knew what he was to say. 

"One things for sure, we certainly didn't choose this profession for it to be easy," she let out a half-hearted laugh. "Now. Go-go," she walked around him and started to push him towards the door. "Your Vulcan boyfriend is waiting for you to go yell at him again and then make up." Leonard sputtered at the comment but Christine talked over him. "Honestly, I think he finds it reassuring that you care enough to chew him out so much."

"Well, he better," McCoy huffed as he walked towards the door that hissed open. "Maybe it'll knock some sense into that damn Vulcan brain of his."

"I'm sure it will." 

McCoy paused in the doorway, lips twitching into a slight smile. "Then, I guess I better get started." When he walked through, the door hissed shut behind him, a sound now more soothing than before. 

The sound of winning the race.

**Author's Note:**

> Not my best, but the first thing I've been able to write and finish in like, a year and a half so


End file.
